I love my car...it's my 3rd Jag but this one is my dream car. Having said that, it has 110,000 miles, needs rear shocks, a new headliner, and every once in a while it 'stutters' while changing gears. I've had NO problems with this car, just maintenance, a few o rings that needed to be replaced, and a very minor a/c repair. Surely things will start breaking soon, right?

I hate to start making car payments but my instincts tell me that I'm going to have to start putting money into this car pretty soon. I know new shocks are around $700 and that's 2 car payments.

Any thoughts/suggestions would be appreciated. BTW, I can't do any work by myself.

 

Based upon your math, you expect to pay $350 per month for your next vehicle. I don't how many you months you are going to pay over, but the symptoms you are having would be able to be addressed for another 3 to 4 payments. Personally, I wouldn't get rid of it yet if it as you said your dream car.

110K isn't that high and maintenance is a far sight cheaper than payments. Just my opinion, and your mileage may vary.

 

I have a 02 XJ8L with 76,000 miles which I have owned for almost 4 years. Like you, it has been my dream car with no major repairs, but the 'minor' repairs are still expensive. I would keep the car and keep it maintained, knowing that maintaining it will be more expensive from now on. Some reasons:

1) If you haven't checked, you are in for a shock when you learn what a small market value your 02 has regardless of its condition; even less value as a trade-in. In other words, your original investment is already consumed and you will be starting over at full market price.

2) By 02 Ford had corrected some major flaws of earlier models, so with proper maintenance you should have some dependable miles remaining with yours.

3)Do you have a truly competent independent Jag mechanic to rely upon? If not, make a serious effort to find one by referral in your area. Then pay him to make a systematic check of the entire vehicle and get his list of repair items with the priority and estimated cost of each. The total may well exceed the current trade-in value, but you aren't looking for a recovery in the marketplace; rather, you are buying some future (relatively) trouble-free miles at perhaps a lesser cost than a replacement.

3) I presume you know the maintenance history of your 02 and are happy with it (at least it sounds like it). Assuming you would buy used, that may be an unknown. If you are buying new or very low mileage, the market price from what you have may give you heart failure (at least it would for me)!

Good luck! Let us know what you decide.

 

I agree with the other two. At this point you would get $4-6000 or so REAL trade in value, sure you might get more but that would be at the expense of neg. a better deal. If you drive it until the tranny goes, you'd still get in the neigborhood of $2k for it trading it in at that point. I say keep it and start putting that payment away now for a downpayment or basic repairs. Oh and get those rear shocks replaced ASAP. That will probably change your "need for a new car" on how she's driving. Might want to do a tranny fluid change too while your at it.

 

After a lot of serious thought and discussion I decided to look around and see what other car I might buy if I opted to sell my Jag. I was really surprised to learn that there are only 3 cars that I like, and I looked at them all. I love the Jag, the Jeep Wrangler, and the Saab 9-3. We already have a Jeep Wrangler and we need at least one car that goes faster than 60 mph!

Safety issues got the best of me. I do have a great mechanic here in Dallas and have used him for 15 years, but he can't help me if I get stuck driving between here and Houston, for example. In fact, no one can help me but a tow truck. That's scary.

Long story short, I traded my Jag for $5100 (ouch) and bought a 2008 Saab Turbo with 25,000 miles on it. Still under warranty for a couple more years and I paid $16,300 for it. I'm really not sure why more people don't drive Saabs. Great reviews, reliability, drives better than BMW and half the price.

I'll always be a Jag girl but am happy to have a fun alternative.

Cheers and thanks!